"Did you have to send them out on custodials this week, Erin?"

She looked up from her computer to see Penelope standing there, hands on her hips. "David told me that Aaron was getting a little burned out, so I thought that a week at home would be for the best for the entire team. And we need to do them at some point, Penelope. What's wrong with that?"

"There's no time for you to slip Alex some tea. She's here all the time."

"I'll just be creative tomorrow. I have to come in early for a meeting, anyway." Erin pulled her reading glasses off her face as she went over to her tea kettle and turned it on, figuring that it was as good a time as any for a fresh cup. "Did you hear if she liked the tea set I left on her desk?"

"She loved it, and thinks that I had something to do with it, since I did also start a tea of the month club for our team before I left England. Which is all well and good, but we need her to see that you're the one holding out the olive branch here, eventually."

"That will happen with time, I know. I just have to be patient."

"That's not one of my strong suites!"

Erin chuckled a little as she nodded. "Mine neither, but this really will stretch my skills. Now, there's enough water here for three cups worth of tea. I'll pick a blend for Alex, and once it's ready, we'll head up to your office, and I'll give it to her, saying that you suggested it for her."

"That could work!" Penelope plopped down onto her sofa, digging through the basket of tea before pulling out three flavors. "Give Alex the mint blend. She looks like she's a bit frustrated, and this might calm her down a little."

Erin nodded as she pulled out three fresh mugs, placing the teabags into each one as she waited for the water to reach the right temperature. "I was hoping that her transition to the team would be a little easier than it has been. I know that she's a bit abrasive, but all brilliant people have a few rough edges."

Penelope nodded as she tugged on Erin's hand, pulling her down onto the sofa as well. "I suppose that I haven't thought about it like that. She's used to leading a classroom, right?" Erin nodded. "So going back to a collaborative approach must be a large change for her. I didn't think about it that way."

"I know, you probably just thought about how her shortness with everyone is due to a bit of arrogance. And she has every right to be, since she's brilliant and at the top of her game linguistically." The ready sound went off and Erin reached out to pour the water into their mugs, taking care to remember the time so that they would steep correctly. "David has mentioned that Jennifer is particularly not meshing well."

"I think that's more from missing Emily, honestly. After all, she was the one who created Emily's new identity through the State Department, and I know that they conversed somehow while she was dead to the world at large. That bonds people, and I know that she's struggling to find her footing with Emily gone and someone who isn't her in her desk."

"I will pass that along to David, and have him help smooth things between them. He's good at being a peacemaker."

"Is that all he's good at?" the other woman teased, and Erin blushed as she looked down into her lap. "Oh, so all the rumors are true! He is a stud muffin!"

Erin burst into a fit of giggles as she nodded. "You are incorrigible!"

"Yes, but I'm also cute!" Penelope gave her a winning smile as Erin plucked the teabags from the mugs, putting them in the trash before rising to her feet and taking a deep breath. "Are you ready to head into the bullpen?"

"As I'll ever be." Penelope picked up the mugs, handing Erin her and Alex's before taking hold of her own and sipping from it. "God, this is such good tea. Better than our tea of the month, that's for sure."

"You're always welcome to make yourself a cup. Just ask Helen if I'm free when the door is closed." Penelope gave her a large smile as she nodded, one which Erin returned as they left her office and went over to the bullpen. Alex was at her desk, and Penelope made a straight line for her, whereas Erin would have meandered a bit in order to get her courage up.

"Hey, Alex! I told Erin that you like tea, so she made you a cup with her new electric kettle."

Alex narrowed her eyes a little as Erin extended her hand with the mint tea mug. "It's Harney and Sons. I really enjoy their blends," she said softly as Alex took the mug from her. There was a flicker of a smile on her lips, and Erin returned it before drawing in a small breath. "Well, I need to see David about something, so I'll leave you two to talk."

Nodding to Penelope, Erin continued up to her partner's office, heading right inside. He was on the phone, and she closed the door before taking a seat on his sofa and waiting for him to finish his conversation. "Yes, I'll try to get the first three chapters to you by the end of the week. Thankfully, we're home working on custodials, which allows me to get more work done on the manuscript. Of course, I know that time is of the essence. This isn't my first book. I will call you as soon as I'm ready with them. Good bye."

"Let me guess, your editor?" she asked before taking a sip of tea. He nodded as he got up and took a seat next to her, reaching out to rest his hand on her knee. "Well, I guess that means I'm heading over to your place for the rest of the week. I can make our meals so that you can focus on getting that accomplished."

"Ah, bella, I knew that I loved you for a very good reason." She rolled her eyes even as she smiled, and then she brought her head to rest on his shoulder, letting out a soft sigh. "So, how goes it with Alex?"

"What do you mean?"

"There's no need to sound so suspicious, Erin. I know that you want to make amends with her, and that you're using tea to do that. While she thinks that Kitten is leaving her little presents, I can recognize your touch a mile off. And I think it's really sweet that you're trying to go about it this way. Because you want to take the cautious route. Penelope would be much more flamboyant with her gifts."

She let out a soft huff of breath as she shook her head. "If I'm that obvious, then she must have figured it out as well. Is she just humoring me, then?"

David shook his head before caressing her upper leg soothingly. "I don't think she sees it yet, because she doesn't see you clearly yet. Maybe that will come with time, but who knows? You might need to come right out and tell her that you're holding out all these olive branches to her."

"When the time is right, I will. I promise." She turned her head and kissed his cheek, trying not to feel overwhelmingly nervous about the idea that Alex had figured her out already, and what that might mean to her future efforts at amends.